The present invention relates to trailers and transport vehicles and, more particularly, to the roof structure of such trailers or transport vehicles.
Transport vehicles, such as trailers, typically include a cargo space enclosed by a plurality of walls and a roof. Objects needing transport from one place to another are loaded into the cargo space and are protected from rain, snow, ice, dirt, road debris and other elements during transport by the roof and walls of the trailer. The roof of the trailer commonly includes a plurality of beams or bows, which are attached at their opposite ends to the tops of an opposing pair of the walls such that the beams extend between the opposing walls. A roof sheet is mounted atop the beams. The trailer also includes a door allowing access to the cargo space. Oftentimes, the objects needing to be transported are stacked on pallets in the cargo space. The stacked objects may be unloaded from the cargo space using a fork lift or other mechanical device which elevates the objects from the floor. As the objects are lifted from the floor and moved through the cargo space, the objects may hit the support beams of the roof, causing the stacked items to either become lodged in the cargo space or fall over, thereby making it difficult to unload the objects and, in some cases, causing damage to the objects.